Betta be Laughin'
by Silber Schwanzen
Summary: With the way that the villagers all treated Naruto, you wonder how it was that he became so...Naruto-ish. Maybe this is what happened.


So this is my first actual piece of fiction writing that I have ever done, so I hope that this goes pretty okay. Which it will right? ... O Goddess here we go.

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><p>He was running.<p>

And it wasn't the easy breezy "let's go play hide-and-seek" kind of run either. It was more of the type that people fleeing from the scene of the crime would favor. The type that gave you tunnel vision, focusing so hard on the end of the road, the hallway, the street. Or maybe if you were running to the long lost loved one who came back to you against all odds, would you be running that way. But unfortunately, Naruto wasn't running because of the latter.

An angry man was charging after him, and the boy was far to small to out run the larger man.

The owner of the apartments raised the rent again, and the meager allowances given by the Hokage weren't enough to cover all of his costs. Sure he could afford the less expensive foods and he could limit what he ate, but somehow when the store keepers suddenly raised their prices because of 'inflation', there was no way he could do anything. Going to the Hokage would make him feel even more pathetic, obviously the old man had more important things to think about. So young Naruto did something that he swore he would never do, he stole.

The owner of the cart that he stole from was almost to him.

He couldn't help himself. No one would ever believe it, but Naruto loved peaches. Usually the weather was too hot for Fire Country to grow them, and they always sold out quickly anyways. He was quick for his age. So sure that he wouldn't get caught. But he also didn't account for there being two people working at the cart. When he wrapped his hand around that fuzzy fruit imported from Valley Country, (which apparently was a good distance away according to the sign next to the cart), he lock eyes with a slightly balding man with beady brown eyes. All that was left was to run.

There! He felt it. The rough hands of a farmer grabbing the scruff of Naruto's jacket.

Naruto froze for an instant. His breathing stopped, caught in his throat. He was done for. All that work was for naught. Naruto had already given up.

The cart owner stared at the blond in his grip. He had seen the looks that the villagers shot him, some even making snide comments about something or other. He didn't really care to notice that much. But what he saw now he did notice. The same type of reaction that he himself had in his younger days, when his father was still alive. The fear and anticipation that he had felt right before he received punishment from his father, was gushing from this small boy.

"Gotcha good there didn't I kid?"

Naruto looked up at the man. He wasn't expecting that.

"Crazy brat, runnin' 'round like you're late for a meetin' with the Hokage or something…"

The Brown-eyed man just stared right back. What the hell was he thinking? Damn kid tried to run off with HIS expensive peaches and he was overlooking it? Seriously now. Smack him around a few times and get back to your cart.

"The first rule is ya don't get caught. Didn't anybody teach ya that? If you get away with it then nobody can prove that you did nothing in the first place. Now take this as your first lesson. What ya pull somethin' off, ya gotta go in knowin' that your gonna get away with it. Ya gotta believe it. Else it won't work."

Okay now this is ridiculous. Was he going to teach the boy how to steal from people? Street vendors like him? God Almighty he was influencing a new criminal.

"But ya pull at stunt like this again, ya betta make sure that I'm laughing or next time I'll take the law into my own hands"

The whole time Naruto just stood there. Frozen. Listening so intently, he almost couldn't understand what the man was actually saying. He felt a hand on his head and he flinched in surprise. He looked up at this cart owner once more.

"Ya got that kid?"

Naruto nodded, simply numb by what had happened. He was unable to comprehend anything at this moment. Maybe on some level he knew but right now? Nope. No way.

Apparently that nod was all the vendor needed because then he just walked back into the direction of the market. And Naruto stood there, in the empty street for several minutes afterwards. Until there was an exhalation heard along with what sounded like:

"_Believe it_."


End file.
